Arturia V Collection 9: Complete Review
Arturia V Collection 9 is the most complete vintage synth bundle. 33 legendary synthesizers emulated (Moog Modular, Prophet-5, DX7, CS-80, Juno-106...), 14,000 presets, proprietary TAE modeling technology. At $599, it's the best value for vintage analog sound.
📊 What's Included
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Price | $599 (full) / $29/month subscription |
| Synthesizers | 33 classic synths emulated |
| Presets | 14,000+ sounds |
| Technology | TAE (True Analog Emulation) |
| Installation | ~20GB |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone |
| OS | Windows 10+, macOS 10.13+ |
| Integrations | Ableton, Logic, FL Studio, NKS |
🎹 The 33 Legendary Synths
Iconic Models
| Synth | Original Year | Famous For |
|---|---|---|
| Mini V | Minimoog (1970) | Fat bass, warm leads |
| Prophet-5 V | Sequential (1978) | Poly pads, 80s sound |
| DX7 V | Yamaha (1983) | FM electric pianos, bells |
| CS-80 V | Yamaha (1976) | Blade Runner, epic pads |
| Juno-6/106 V | Roland (1982) | Chorus strings, warm bass |
| Jupiter-8 V | Roland (1981) | Rich polyphonic leads |
| ARP 2600 V | ARP (1971) | Semi-modular experimentation |
| Buchla Easel V | Buchla (1973) | West Coast synthesis, weird |
+ 25 more: Oberheim OB-Xa, Synthi V, Vocoder V, Matrix-12, Jun-6, CMI V (Fairlight), Emulator II...
🔬 TAE Technology: Why It Sounds Real
True Analog Emulation
Arturia doesn't use samples. They model circuit-level behavior:
- Component drift: Analog oscillators aren't perfectly stable (adds warmth)
- Nonlinear filters: Resonance behaves like real circuits
- Envelope curves: Attack/decay shapes match hardware
Result: Sounds 90-95% like the real hardware (without $50k price tag)
🛠️ Workflow & Analog Lab
Analog Lab (Included)
Best feature of V Collection: Browse ALL 14,000 presets in one plugin.
- Search by instrument, genre, mood, character
- Lightweight (doesn't load full synth engines)
- Macro controls (no need to dive into complex UI)
- Result: Find perfect sound in 30 seconds
Individual Synths
Deep editing when you need it. Each synth has:
- Original hardware UI (skeuomorphic design)
- Advanced panel (modern controls)
- Effects section (reverb, delay, chorus...)
🎛️ Presets: 14,000 Sounds
Quality over Quantity
14,000 presets sounds like a lot, but Arturia curated them well:
- Genre packs: Hip-Hop, EDM, Synthwave, Ambient...
- Artist signature sounds
- Recreations of famous tracks (80s hits, Stranger Things...)
Pro tip: Use Analog Lab browser tags. Search "dark pad" or "vintage bass" = instant results.
⚖️ V Collection vs Alternatives
| Bundle | Price | Synths | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| V Collection 9 | $599 | 33 (vintage focus) | Analog purists, 70s-80s sound |
| Komplete 14 | $599 | ~25 + samplers | All-in-one (modern + vintage) |
| Omnisphere 2 | $499 | 1 (but 14k sounds) | Cinematic, hybrid |
| Roland Cloud | $20/mo | 30+ (official Roland) | Authentic Roland sound |
| U-He Diva | $179 | 1 (modular vintage) | Best single vintage emulation |
✅ Verdict
Strengths
- ✅ 33 legendary synths in one bundle
- ✅ TAE = authentic analog sound
- ✅ 14,000 curated presets
- ✅ Analog Lab browser (best feature)
- ✅ Best value for vintage sound ($599)
- ✅ Regular updates (v10 coming)
Weaknesses
- ❌ Heavy CPU (running multiple synths)
- ❌ UI can be overwhelming (33 different interfaces)
- ❌ Not "modern" sounding (that's the point)
🛒 Where to Buy V Collection 9
Full version: $599 (33 synths)
Upgrade: From $149 (existing customers)
Analog Lab: $99 (preset browser only)
Buy on Arturia View on Thomann🎯 Final Verdict
V Collection 9 is the ultimate vintage synth bundle. 33 legendary synthesizers for the price of ONE hardware unit ($599 vs $50k+ for real hardware). If you want authentic 70s-90s analog sound, this is mandatory.
Worth it? Absolutely. No other bundle offers this many high-quality vintage emulations. Analog Lab alone is worth the price (instant access to 14,000 sounds).
Who is it for? Producers wanting authentic vintage analog sound, synthwave artists, anyone tired of thin digital presets. Not for modern EDM (use Serum/Vital instead).